Congratulations to the finalists in Symphony Central Coast’s Prodigies Concerto Competition, which includes CCCM violin students Kaito Deed and Minjy Lee and former student Sophie Kelly.
They will be joined by fellow competitor pianist Matthew Ardern, who also started his piano journey as a student of CCCM’s Head of Piano, Carl Schmidt.
SCC’s prestigious Concerto Competition is held every two years and is open to all musicians on the Central Coast under the age of 25. This year the final is taking place at Central Coast Grammar School Performing Arts Centre on Sunday 17 September.
The four performers have chosen works by Mozart, Carl Reinecke, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky and each will perform a movement or movements from a concerto up to 15 minutes in length.
Concertos are works for solo instrument and orchestra and are an opportunity for an outstanding player to show their artistry and virtuosity accompanied by a large orchestra. These works require great dexterity and musical maturity, all of which will be in plentiful supply at this concert.
About the competitors
Minjy who studies violin with Karina Hollands, has chosen Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G major. Written when Mozard was just 19 this concerto is packed with his usual graceful charm and vitality.
Kaito studies with Karina Holland, and is also Concertmaster of Central Coast Youth Orchestra, Central Coast Chamber Orchestra. He is performing the first movement of the Violin Concerto by Tchaikovsky, written in 1878 and well secured in its place as a favourite among soloists. Filled with romantic melodies and tender lyricism this concerto was composed just after Tchaikovsky’s doomed marriage and allowed him to confront this emotional turmoil and ‘reset’, while on holiday in Italy and Switzerland.
Sophie, a flute student at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, is performing the flute concerto by Carl Reinecke, a Danish composer highly respected in his day and compared favourably to Brahms and Mendelssohn. The Flute Concerto, composed in 1908, is the last work he wrote and opens in a leisurely and dreamy mood, but soon turns lyrical and adventurous.
Matthew has selected the famous Piano Concerto no. 2 of Rachmaninov, one of the most popular and most frequently performed piano concertos of all time.
All four works will give the soloists an opportunity to put their musical development and virtuosity on display. Phillip Shovk, from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, will adjudicate for the first prize of $1500, sponsored by Rotary Club of Gosford North and audience members are encouraged to vote for the People’s Choice award of $500, also sponsored by Rotary Club of Gosford North.
Both prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the concert and the winners will be invited to perform with Symphony Central Coast in 2024.
2:30pm | 17 September 2023 | Central Coast Grammar School Performing Arts Centre
